Practical War
by Shaggelmalove
Summary: Not really sure yet, title may change. Third installment in the Practical Series.
1. Chapter 1

**_A_AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!**

**_Practical War,_**

**_Chapter One: Happiness Only Lasts so Long,_**

It had been two, blissful months since the trip to Florence. Melinda and Harry been together officiallysince arriving back in Coolsville. School had just begun, day care for Susie, Anna, and Daniel and High School for Melinda and Harry. Fred and Daphne once more took their day-jobs as journalists during the school year and Velma rejoined her fellow scientists at the Coolsville space center. As for Shaggy, he managed a local restruant during the year while Sciiby stayed home and watched over Mary, Chastain, James, and Kylie with Scarlette.

"Scooby, it's time to wake up. I'm leaving in ten minutes. The kids are all dressed and fed, but they're waiting for you so that they can watch their morning cartoons." Velma told him as she shook the Great Dane awake. Scooby stretched lazily and yawned before nodding to Velma who was now putting her earrings in. Velma gave Scooby a scratch behind the ears, grabbed her bag, and headed to the Collsville space institute. Scooby liesurely walked into the living room where the four young ones were already waiting on the couch for him. He jumped up next to Chastain, resulting in a giggle from the young boy, who was only two years old. Scooby took the remote and put the television onto a TV station called, Boomerang.

It was 7:30. Melinda's alarm-clock went off annoyingly loud, she reached up and pressed the green button, shutting it off immediatly. She groaned and sat up stiffly.  
"It is too early to be waking up, on a Monday, for school." She said to herself in annoyance before getting up and getting, well attempting to get, dressed by magic. She looked in the mirror and sighed. Once again, her magic decided to choose her outfit for her, resulting in a jumbled up mess. This time she sported a black sweater, fairy wings from last years Halloween costume, and camo pants with neon pink sneakers. She quickly ditched the fairy wings, camo pants, and sneakers, for neon, lime-green pants and black flats and headed into Mystery Inc.'s Kitchen to meet with Harry.  
"Good morning," Harry greeted her as she walked into the kitchen and began making a fast breakfast  
"Hey," She replied as she threw her bread into the toaster.  
"Running late, again?" He asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.  
"Definatly, wardrobe malfunction." She explained as she grabbed the toast from the toaster. Harry laughed, what was with her crazy idea about getting dressed by magic? It's never going to work. Melinda threw him a glare and grabbed her bag from it's place by the door.  
"Come on, we're late enough for school as it is."

School seemed to pass on as slow as it possibly could, as if it knew that Melinda couldn't stand being there on Monday's and desperatly wanted to keep her there as punishment. Finally, at 2:45, the final bell rung. Melinda raced to her locker and grabbed her back-pack before meeting with Harry by door fifteen. Melinda and Harry were walking home however, when Melinda got the most peculiar feeling that they were being followed by somebody. She turned her head slightly and noticed the smalled perception of movement behind her. She whirled around, and was relieved to find that it was only her gaurdians, Arya and Allou. Arya, the wolf, gave what must have been a smile, or as close to a smile as you can get when you are a wolf.  
_'Arya! How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me like that?'_ The wolf simply smirked and took in the image of her young charge and her accompanying friend.  
_'I thought I was supposed to be taking you to the shadow realm today, or have you forgotten young one?' _Arya cocked her head and sat down on the pavement. Melinda was shocked, how could she have forgotten something this important?  
"Am I missing something?" Harry asked, though he was used to being a little behind the times.  
"These are my gaurdians, or familiars I guess you could call them, Arya and Allou." Melinda explained, picking up Allou, who was in the form of a cat.  
"A cat and wolf, interesting mix. Does Allou talk? I heard Arya."  
_'How did you hear me?' _Arya questioned, slightly suspicious of this new-comer her charge was seemingly comfortable with.  
"I'm a wizard, and you haven't answered my question." Harry noted as he scratched Allou behind the ears, resulting in a purr.  
"Allou can talk, she just chooses not to is all." Melinda explained.  
_'Well, with the company of three magical beings, I may as well speak.' _Allou told them, surprising them all. She had a gentle voice, but sounded as if she was from the same era as Arya was, the sixteen-hundreds.  
_'Well, well, look who's talking.' _Arya noted sardonically as they once more began their walk home.  
_'Look who's being sardonic, there's a big surprise.' _Allou said as she hopped out of Melinda's arms and onto the pavement below next to Arya.

Meanwhile at the space institute, Velma was not exactly enjoying working with her lab partner. She had been assigned to a wonderful task yes, but anything was better than working with her lab partner, Gibby Norton. Ever since they were young children, Gibby had fawned over Velma to extremes, but all she saw him as was an annoyance that couldn't seem to get the message that she didn't like him.  
"So, Velma, how are your plans for this weekend? Anything important going on, any _dates _free?" Gibby asked Velma as he leaned on one arm against the counter-top, eyebrows raised and a cheesy smile upon his face. Velma rolled her eyes.  
"Gibby, how many times do I have to explain to you, that we are not compatible?" Velma asked him as she tried to focus on the project they were intended to work on.  
"Aww come on Velms. Don't tell me you _still _love that beatnik Norville?" Gibby smirked.  
"Gibby, I married him. I think that should tell any normal human being that I love him. If that doesn't drive my point home into your thick head, then maybe the fact that I have five children, and I'm two months pregnant right now." Gibby sighed.  
"Velma, Velma, Velma, when will you realize you want me?" Velma hid a laugh.  
"When Shaggy leaves me for the boogey man and my daughter marry's her cousin."


	2. The Shadow Realm,

**_A_AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!**

**_Practical War,_**

**_Chapter Two: The Shadow Realm,_**

Gibby bowed his head and sat down so that he could do his work. Velma felt slightly bad that her words had hurt him, but still, she's married, has children, is pregnant, what was she supposed to do? Say 'take me, I'm your's?' Yea, I don't think that would go over well with Shaggy. The rest of the work-day, Velma avoided unnecessary contact with Gibby and kept mainly to herself and to her work. When she was finally ready to leave, she couldn't wait to get home and just be Velma, without Gibby Norton.

Meanwhile, Harry, Melinda, Arya, and Allou had made it back to Mystery Inc. Headquarters.  
_'So, this is where our young one lives?' _Allou asked as she sat on an armrest of one of the couches. _'How very... colorful.'  
'If the young one id happy here, what more can we do? We can control her no less than we could control Miss Piper. Both of them are hard-headed and stubborn.'  
_"Hey, I like being 'hard-headed' and stubborn!" Melinda commented as she put her bag on the kitchen counter. "Scooby Doo, where are you?" She called out when she noticed that both Great Dane and children were not in the living room. Scarlette came into the kitchen and noticed Allou immediatly.  
_'Don't even fur-ball.'_ Allou hissed and Scarlette scampered back a little.  
"Hey Scarlette, have you seen Scooby around?" The Black Labrador nodded and proceeded out of the kitchen, followed by the rest. She led them into the play room. There Scooby was, asleep with bows over his ears and a Cinderella dress on. Around him slept four princesses and two knights. Upon seeing the sight, Harry, Melinda, Allou, and Arya crept slowly from the room and back to the kitchen so as not to wake them up.  
"So, are you taking me to the Shadow Realm, or not?" Melinda asked Arya once they were able to talk once more.  
_'Yes, but the boy stays here. We are your gaurdians, and your guardians alone._' She responded from her spot on the kitchen floor.  
"Fine, come with me, I'll get Allora's book ready."

Once the book was out, Melinda began to follow very precise instructions. She laid out twenty candles, four red, four white, four purple, four black, and four gold. She drew a giant pentagram in chalk on her floor and drew a circle around it. Next, she placed the candles around the circle in a patern of black, white, red, purple, gold. Once that was finished, she waved her hand over the circle and the candles lit, one by one. She took incents and sage from her chest beneath her bed and lit them in various places around her room. Lastly, she drew Allora's amulet from beneath her shirt and held it so that it glowed white. As she did this, her clothing transformed to the same dress that she wore years ago, when she had to save Velma's life. Her hair sprung free of the band she had put it in and she slipped her shoes off, her eyes glowing brighter as she stepped into the circle with Arya and Allou. Arya and Allou bowed their heads and began chanting in the forgotten language of magic, the ancient language from which all magic and language had formed itself from. The air around them began to swirl and color seemed to fade around them. Next thing they knew, everything stopped and they were no longer in Coolsville.

Melinda opened her eyes and slid her amulet back beneath her dress.  
"Is this the Shadow Realm?" She asked, Arya nodded. Melinda looked around her, everything was tinged gray, or colorless. The air was cold and the plants were dead. In place of the musical birds that earely fall kept until it was time for them to fly away, were crows and ravens, eyeing them from the treetops above. "Remind me why we're here again.?"  
_'You will see little one, you will see.' _Arya said as she began to walk forward, Melinda began to follow. As they walked through the Shadow Realm, Melinda couldn't help but notice that no souls lingered nearby, or anywhere for that matter.  
"Arya, I thought you said that souls were banished to the Shadow Realm?"  
_'They are little one, but when they sense fresh souls, they hide in fear of being destroyed by the Elders of our world.'  
_"Oh...." Melinda kept close to Arya and Allou and began to notice signs that unusual wreckage had occured in the realm. Houses that were spooky enough as it was, were almost utterly destroyed, as if something had... blown right through them.


	3. Οι Τιτάνες

**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!  
Me: Really sorry guys, I've been sick since either last Sunday, or last Monday and just now have reduced it to a simple cough. I hope you enjoy my update?**

**_Practical War,_**

**_Chapter Three: Οι Τιτάνες_**

Melinda sent a shiver down her spine as they came to a black river, it's waters swirling with objects that were either utterly destroyed, or purposefully damaged to mock the owner. She noticed that these items were from the Mortal World, college degrees, diplomas, antiques, paintings, even armor floated by through the river.  
"Allou, what are these?" Melinda asked, indicating the objects in the dark water below. Allou sighed and shook her head with pity.  
_'Those, young one, are forgotten dreams of the no-longer living souls that inhabit these depressing realms. Goals that were never accomplished, life-long dreams that were shattered, if you can name it, it is most likely floating through this river, a reminder to the souls of what never was.' _Allou explained, her head bowed before she once more began walking. Melinda looked for one last time into the dark waters, watching long-lost dreams flow by.

Velma had just arrived home, the first to arrive to be precise. She set down her briefcase on a endtable in the hall and walked to her bedroom that she shared with Shaggy. She changed from her formal attire into her casual orange v-neck sweater, red pants, orange ankle-socks, and red sneakers. She released her hair from the band she had placed it in. Over the years she had decided to let it grow to a little past her shoulders; Shaggy had commented that she'd look nice with long hair. She walked into the Kitchen, expecting to find at least Scooby and the children there, but was surprised to find it empty, save for a note taped to the refrigerator.

_Mom,  
Went to Shadow Realm with Arya and Allou, will be back soon,  
- Melinda,_

_P.S. Harry could not come, so he is still there._

Velma sighed, she was always a little apprehensive when it came to Melinda's schooling with Arya and Allou. While she did trust them, magic still had an uneasy feel for her. Perhaps it was because it was a subject Velma had always filed under myth and legend in her mind, or that it was something new, and Velma really didn't know much about it. The telephone rang and Velma nearly jumped out of her skin. She collected herself and took the phone off of the reciever.  
"Hello?"  
"Velma!" A female voice shrieked into the phone. Velma smiled as she recognized this familiar voice.  
"Madelyn! How are things going with you, Marlon, and Whirlen at the magic academy?" Velma asked her sister.  
"Good so far, but we need your help. Monsters, and not puppets trust me, are terrorizing the school Velms! They say that they work for Οι Τιτάνες, what does that mean?" Madelyn's voice told her, sounding stressed. Velma nearly dropped the phone, _Οι Τιτάνες...._


	4. A Long Overdue Meeting

**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!**

**_Practical War,_**

**_Chapter Four: A Long Overdue Meeting,_**

Melinda sent a shiver down her spine as they came to a black river, it's waters swirling with objects that were either utterly destroyed, or purposefully damaged to mock the owner. She noticed that these items were from the Mortal World, college degrees, diplomas, antiques, paintings, even armor floated by through the river.  
"Allou, what are these?" Melinda asked, indicating the objects in the dark water below. Allou sighed and shook her head with pity.  
_'Those, young one, are forgotten dreams of the no-longer living souls that inhabit these depressing realms. Goals that were never accomplished, life-long dreams that were shattered, if you can name it, it is most likely floating through this river, a reminder to the souls of what never was.' _Allou explained, her head bowed before she once more began walking. Melinda looked for one last time into the dark waters, watching long-lost dreams flow by.

"Velma? Velma, are you still there?" Madelyn's voice asked from the phone. Velma shook herself back into reality.  
"Yea.... Did you say Οι Τιτάνες?" Velma asked, hoping that she had only misheard Madelyn.  
"Yes, do you know who they are? Or what it means?"  
"It means The Titans in ancient Greek." Velma explained. "Look, Madelyn, I don't think you'll be very safe at the school, I want you to slip away if you can. Bring Marlon, Whirlen, and Crystal if you need to, just evacuate immediatly. Do you hear me? Immediatly." With that, Velma hung up and raced to the toy room.

Meanwhile, in the Shadow Realm, Allou, Arya, and Melinda had arrived in front of a mansion that looked achingly familar to Melinda. It was the manor her mother left to her, the shadow version. They stepped inside and the door closed behind them on it's own. Melinda gasped at the two figures lingering in the hallway. They were shadow spirits yes, but they were more than that, they were her parents.

"Mother?" Melinda whispered, unbelieving. Piper Cromwell stood before her, her long brown hair flowing to her shoulders, wearing the clothes that she died in, a small, purple frock, red high-heels, and a rose pinned into her hair. She nodded and Melinda ran over to her, wrapping her arms around her mother for the first time since she was a toddler. The man standing beside them was Samuel Bennette, Melinda's father. Melinda released her mother and turned to face her father for the first time in her life. He was a handsome man, with black hair and chocolate-brown eyes. He was wearing a black blazer and a white, button-down shirt underneath, complete with a red tie, black pants, and dress shoes. Though Melinda had a hunch that at home he'd be the man in a flannel shirt, wrangler jeans, boots, and a southern draw.  
"Melinda," Was the only word that he spoke as he took her into an uncertain hug.


	5. Caron

**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!**

**_Practical War,_**

**_Chapter Five: Caron,_**

Melinda and Samuel broke apart and stared at each other, each waiting for the other to make the next move, neither knowing what to do themselves. Piper reached out and put her hands on Melinda's shoulders. She smiled and said,  
"You look beautiful in Allora's gown, a true Cromwell in all of her glory." Melinda smiled and Piper took her hand. "Come with me, my little elf." Piper said as she led Melinda by the hand and up the familar stairwells and to the attic of the manor. In the attic, Melinda was led to a small stand in the center of the room. Upon the stand, there sat a silver mirror, ivory vines designed to wrap around the mirror with small jewels here and there along the way. Beside the mirror, sat a crystal sphere. It was perfectly round and looked strikingly familiar. Melinda chose the sphere and examined it, turning it slowly over in her hands, taking in the small swirls that were so intricatly drawn, you might not have seen them upon first glance.  
"I thought you might choose that one." Piper said smiling as she watched her.  
"The crystal, it looks exactly like those that Jareth would use in the Labyrinth." Melinda said in awe as she continued the look at the crystal.  
"That's because it is."

Velma shook Scooby awake and explained the phone call before ordering him to stay with the children. Velma grabbed her keys and raced outside to her car and drove as fast as she could towards Shaggy.

Harry walked aimlessy through the forest, coming across small woodland creatures now and then. After a while, he came to an area where the trees were thining and finally opening up to a valley below. Across the way, he saw a cave. Curious, he scrambled down the hill carefully and down into the tall grass below. As he walked towards the cave, he tripped over a small object on the ground. He picked up his glasses, which had fallen from his face, and put them on. He turned around and picked up a small knife that looked as if it had been last moved years ago. Rust had been scraped from the bottom to reveal a strange, worn-out X insignia. He pocketed the knife and continued to walk towards the mysterious cave, not knowing what had happened in that very same valley so many years ago.

The voice had come from Samuel, surprising Melinda. She turned to face him, a curious look upon her face.  
"If you are thinking that I am Jareth, you are right, and wrong." Samuel explained, twisting his hands in the same way that Jareth had done in the movie, making three crystals appear in his hand. "I am Jareth's brother," He continued. "Birthname, Caron. Just as Jareth had fallen in love with a mortal of your world, Sarah, I had fallen for a witch, Piper. Jareth refused to allow me to welcome her to the Labyrinth, so I left and changed my name to Samuel Bennette."


	6. Bless'd Be

**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!**

**_Practical War,_**

**_Chapter Six: Bless'd Be,_**

Melinda stood silenced by the news she had just recieved from Caron. The movie she had loved as a child... was real? And she was related to the Goblin King himself? Not only that, but wouldn't that mean that she was royalty?  
"Melinda, I cannot take you into the Labyrinth, not by myself. No, you must do that on your own. Do not expect Jareth to welcome you with open arms into his domain either. Family or not, he does not like visitors in his realm unless he invites them in himself. You have been warned. Take this crystal, and wish yourself there if you are ever needed to go." Caron said as he tossed her own of the spheres he had conjured. He stared into Melinda's emerald eyes and smiled. " I always knew you'd look exactly like your mother. I just hope that you'll grow to your name." Melinda didn't have time to wonder what he meant before Arya stepped forward.  
_'I am sorry my Lady, my Lordship, but I must escort Miss Melinda to her current home in the Mortal World. Peace be with you and bless'd be.'_ Arya said before turning to face Melinda.  
"Bless'd be." Everyone repeated and Melinda scooped up Allou, waved goodbye and grabbed Arya's tale, vanishing with them.

Harry explored the cave that he had found, oblivious to what had happened in this same cave, of it's deadly history. He tripped over a small rock and noticed that the floor had dark stains that had blackened over time, as if blood had been spilled over certain areas of the cave floor and left to dry. He was examining the stains when he was gagged from behind and escorted from the cave, glasses knocked from his face as they went.

Velma dashed into the restruant and pulled Shaggy outside and into the car with her. Once they were alone, Shaggy saw the panic in her eyes and concern filled his own. Velma collcted her breathing for a moment and said but two simple words.  
"The Titans." Shaggy immediatly called his boss requesting a sick day before taking the wheel and driving off towards the Television station.


	7. Chapter Eight

**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!**

Chapter Eight,

An hour later at Mystery Inc.'s headquarters, Melinda had been sent to search for Harry, but had returned home empty-handed with the exception of a broken pair of glasses found on The Cave floor. Daphne and Fred had been warned of what had happened and everyone, including the children and Scarlette, were piled into the Mystery Machine and headed for Whirlen and Marlon the Brothers Merlin Academy of Magic. The entire ride there however, gave Velma chills down her spine; hopefully this time the monsters were only puppets as well....

When the gang arrived at the academy, the castle lay in complete ruin. Twelve figures were seen standing before the rubbish that was once, a great glory. It was easy to tell that seven of the figures were men and the other five were women. When the gang began to approach the group, they turned to face them as the familiar faces of the Olympians.  
"Where is Madelyn?" Velma asked as she stepped forward. The one known as Zeus pointed towards the woods beyond the school expressionless.  
"She was taken to the woods with the other inhabitants of the school, we could not stop them." Athena elaborated.  
"For once there were more Titans than Olympians." Apollo continued.  
"Indeed, we were not expecting to see Hyperion, Iapetus, and Atlas to have escaped their worldly prisons." Artemis said.  
"We could not stop them," Hera repeated.  
"We could not stop them…." Melinda said entranced by the words. "Could… not… stop…." What happened next, no one expected. Melinda had turned to woods and run inside as fast as she could, not caring of the branches in her path or the roots she began tripping over. She was running blindly through the woods at unknown target.

Melinda ran until she had to stop. When she did, the woods were spinning around her and she couldn't find her way out of the small circle that she was in. Melinda began to lose her breath and collapsed on the floor of the wood. When she opened her eyes, she was in another wood, sparkling light floating around her. She stood uneasily and grabbed a nearby branch for support. She managed to steady herself and began to feel the frantic urge to run deeper through the woods. She began and branches began to whip her across the face as she dashed by, but she did not bother to brush them aside. Finally the woods began to clear and Melinda found that she could finally stop running.

Harry awoke in a room that was unfamiliar. He knew he did not have his glasses and therefore that it was useless to look through the window beside him. However, for the faintest second of a moment in the world, he did hear something. The melody sounds of running steps.


	8. Chapter Nine,

**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!**

Chapter Nine,

The Olympians had forced the gang to not run after Melinda and into the treacherous woods, professing that it was too dangerous. To calm the frayed people, Artemis volunteered to run into the woods and investigate where Melinda had run to.

Harry looked towards the window even though it was useless and noticed a shadow over it. Something began to strike the window repeatedly, trying to break it open. When they succeeded, they had jumped inside of the room and restored Harry of his lost vision.

Artemis dashed through the trees, following the trail of broken branches until she arrived at a charred clearing.  
"O sweet Isis help me…." She muttered at the sight. Everything in the circle was charred, save the very center, just a space large enough for a teenage girl.

Melinda smiled as Harry's vision became clear once more. He returned the smile upon seeing the familiar, wanted face before him. Melinda's smile soon vanished however as she raised a hand to trace the long thick rut of scarlet red going down the side of his face from beneath his hair to the side of his chin.

Artemis ran from her spot and straight back to the Olympians.  
"I know… where… they've… taken them; you won't… like my… answer." She said between breaths when she arrived.  
"Take us at once!" Zeus demanded as he stepped forward.  
"I can't. They're in Jareth's realm now."


	9. Mystical,

**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!**

Chapter Ten,

Melinda held her position of shock with one hand still on the side of Harry's cheek, eyes focusing on the deadly crescent shaped cut running down Harry's face, fresh blood still eminating from it's depths. Harry raised a shaky hand and placed it around Melinda's slightly trembling one. He forced a smile and Melinda locked her ever-lasting mysterious gaze on his bright green eyes.  
"Harry... how?" Melinda asked, a little hurt in her voice though Harry could not place why. He took a trembling breath and revisited the cave with Melinda and how he had been taken here by the mysterious figures who had grabbed him. Upon arriving here, he was locked in a dark room, apparently alone. That was until he heard the scurrying of quick legs and glow of saphire eyes. The creature came closer too him, the eyes remaining steady, glowing orbs. It held a glowing round object in it's hand, a sphere-like object.

The animal came closer and the object glowed brighter, illuminting the face of the creature, who was now but feet away from Harry. Though Harry's vision was impaired, he was able to make out the features of the creature. It had the face of a fox, but was completely black, it wore a shawl, but crawled about the floor, it's talons clacking against the stone surface. It smiled slyly and handed Harry the orb. The orb began to shift the glowing colours on it's insides to show the image of a young girl that Harry did not recognize. She had long brunette hair and mystical green eyes. She wore a purple pleated skirt and a bright-blue sweater. On her feet she wore blue ankle-socks and a pair of black mary-jane shoes. Around her neck was a heart-shaped locket, an ingraved letter 'E' on the front. She was a beautiful child, small and thin, though there was an air of elegance and maturity about her that just made her seem, older. She wore a small pair of square glasses over her eyes and held a small object in her small hands. Upon closer examination, Harry saw that the object was a small, white flower. The child looked up and stared in Harry's direction from her place in the orb, though it was impossible for her to see him. A puzzled look came over her face, and her image dissolved away.

Allou and Arya both held stern eyes as they stared towards the forbidding forests depths. Arya broke the apparent silence.  
_'Well, I may not be of this century, I do know a thing or two about the Labryinth.' _Everyone looked to Arya who held her stern gaze on the forest. _'Jareth create that labryinth to isolate himself out of fear that he would lose everything he had to a foolish heart, leaving him to drown in the wallows of his own self-pity. He drove away his family, his friends, even his subjects, leaving him to live with those insufferable goblins that he created. He was a fool once for falling in love with that mortal child Sarah. He knows this. If he has drawn Melinda into his territory, it is not to wish her well, it is to use her for his own personal gain, to regain the power that he has told himself was lost when Sarah departed his realm with her child half-brother._' Everyone else by then had joined Arya in gazing at the woods, as if expecting a solution to come to them in the form of a woodland creature, or a spirit perhaps.  
"Well, standing here and doing nothing will gain us nothing." Athena broke the formation by stepping towards the woods. "One strategy failed, but that does not mean that we may simply give up and allow our limbs to grow limp. After all, the ocean does not cry over the loss of one droplet." The other Olympians looked to each other in confirmation and nodded. Going together they stood by Athena and held their chosen weapons tightly, determination clear in their eyes.  
What happened next, no one was expecting. Shaggy walked over and joined the Olympians.  
"Like, I don't know about you guys, but Melinda and Madelyn are in there. So I'm going to do what I do best. I'm going to eat a Scooby Snack, and then I'm gonna save my friends."


	10. Unnoticed,

**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!!!!  
Me: Just now noticed I've been labeling the chapters with the wrong numbers.... Oh well, I'll just keep goin' with it ^^  
Annabeth: Story! Story! Story!  
Arya:.... Hyperactive much?  
Ajihad: Oh Arya....  
Arya.... Kill me.... Please? Anyone?**

Chapter Eleven,

Melinda steadied herself and sat beside Harry on the floor. She contemplated everything that he had just told her, trying her hardest to make sense of it all. The one thing that baffled her was the child, she knew of a locket with an engraved 'E', yes, but that little girl had to be from the future or in the present now. Harry watched her intently, knowing what her thoughts were concealing.  
"The little girl," He noted, Melinda nodded. "I know who she is." Melinda looked into Harry's eyes searching for the answer before he himself could say it. She didn't necessaryily love the answer thatshe found.

An hour later, everyone was standing on the edge of the forest. Shaggy took a shaking breath and Velma almost unnoticaby to the others squeezed his hand and stepped out of the formation with Aphrodite. The two of them would remain behind as Velma was with child. Shaggy took a last look back at her, and followed the others into the forrests forbidding mysterious depths.  
As they marched on, Shaggy got the peculiar feeling that he was being followed. Shakily he turned around holding a stick in his hand for defense.  
"Like, wh-whose there?" He asked, his voice trembling. A bush on the side of the trail began to shake and Shaggy's knees began to knock together in fear. Shaggy closed his eyes and thrust the spear ahead of him. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes to find a fox, sitting on the forest floor and staring at him with an amused look upon it's face. Shaggy sighed and turned to catch up with the others, not knowing tha he had just let the very same fox from Harry'a very real nightmare slip by unnaticed.


	11. The Oubliette,

**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!  
Me: Sorry for the oh-so-late update guys '^^  
Arya: We've been having exam issues, namely Algebra and German.  
Ajihad: I suggest sitting upside-down in a bottle of tea lemons.  
Athena: Tea lemons?  
Annabeth: Aren't those made in China?**

**Arya: *face-palm***

**Chapter Twelve: The Oubliette,**

Melinda stood, shaking the dust from her clothing. She helped pull Harry to his feet. "Are you alright?" She asked as he swaggered a bit.  
"Yea, but, how are we going to get out of here?" Harry asked looking around. Melinda was confused a bit.  
"The way I came in?" She said, hoping Harry wasn't delirious.  
"Look," He said, gesturing towards the wall where the window had been. Instead, the room had changed. They were trapped in an Oubliette. The door high above them, creaked open, revealing a young man with long blonde hair that spiked up around him, he was the image of her father.  
"Ah, my young niece has finally come to pay uncle a visit." He mused as he stepped down on invisible steps, twisting crystal orbs between his long thin fingers. "Welcome to my Labyrinth. Much like Sarah, I am giving you a choice. You have thirteen hours to complete my maze, if you do not, you will not return to the world from hence you came. And," He added as he stared at Harry. "You will never complete your little rescue mission."


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: I OWN NOTHING OF THE SCOOBY DOO FRANCHISE!**

**Chapter Thirteen: The Truth About the Wandering Path,**

Velma was impatient, they'd been gone for what seemed like forever. She hated missing out on any of the action with the gang, even if she was with child at the moment. Still, there wasn't much she could do, the baby was due in a month and she could hardly stand for more than hour at a time. Still, she missed the gang and wanted to be there when and if they found Melinda. As if sensing her thoughts, Aphrodite turned to Velma and gave her a reassuring smile.  
"May I ask you a question?" Velma said, sitting up in her chair more to face Aphrodite. She nodded her consent for Velma to continue. "Why make your little organization around the Greek gods rather than say the Romans or the Egyptians or even Hindu gods?" Aphrodite hid a chuckle.  
"Velma, you may not believe me when I say this, but there is powerful magic in our world, magic that has been here since the dawn of time. That magic, is now held in very few. Some of the first to be able to control the ancient forces that created our worlds were the Cromwells, and the Owens, or more discretely hidden as the Tomaselli's. However, there were also the Titans, and yes I do mean the very same from the old legends and myths.  
"They rose the power taking over everything precious and dear in our world. Finally after hundreds upon thousands of years of their torment, the Cromwells banded together with the Owens and with the aide of the children of the Titans, they defeated them, locking them away in prisons the world over. Which began the reign of the gods which has lived ever peaceful as we could make it, that is until somehow, Kronos released himself and most of his brethren. Leaving things to myself and my fellow Olympians. Meaning yes, I am a goddess. And," She added cutting Velma off from her next question.  
"We call ourselves, Η διαδρομή που περιπλανιέται, or, The Path That Wanders to disguise ourselves in the mortal world. If we did not, there is a great chance that Kronos could find that we are not who say we are, and we say we are the children of the gods. Which is why of course he had no issues attacking you before, he does not fear our demigod children knowing he can simply overpower them." She hid a giggle at Velma's shocked expression.

Melinda struggled to find a way out as Harry rested on the floor, nearly fainting moments before. She stopped as she heard a voice laughing, though from where she could not tell. Looking around, she found only a small caterpillar on the wall.  
"I don't suppose you're the one I heard?" She joked, trying to slow her stress level. She nearly jumped out of her skin as a reply came from the very same caterpillar. "It was you!"  
"Well who did you expect dearie? Gosh, just like that other girl that passed through 'ere years ago, don't bloody see what's right in front o' your face!" It said in an irritated voice.  
"What do you mean?" Melinda asked, leaning forward to hear it better. Glancing to check on Harry for a moment.  
"Look beyond what ya see! Don't always believe what's there!" It shouted. Irritated Melinda looked back around, and cautiously, seemed to step right into the wall.


End file.
